


Mind Games

by OptimisticallyCynical



Series: Breaking The Hawk [1]
Category: Cobra Kai (Web Series)
Genre: Boys fighting, M/M, be warned, dark Demetri, they kiss but..., this takes a turn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-14 01:22:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28663131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OptimisticallyCynical/pseuds/OptimisticallyCynical
Summary: Hawk makes a terrible mistake when he thought pulling out his old 'Eli' voice would help him win a fight.A mistake Demetri's going to make sure he never tries again.
Relationships: Demetri/Eli "Hawk" Moskowitz
Series: Breaking The Hawk [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2103372
Comments: 33
Kudos: 123





	Mind Games

**Author's Note:**

> So, after seeing the episode where Hawk uses his old Eli self to make the Cobra Kai students look innocent to the (terrible) school staff, I thought about if he would do the same thing to Demetri if he realized he was losing a fight and just how Demetri might react to that. This is what I came up with and I am truly sorry for it. But I also kinda had fun writing it so...
> 
> Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoy it!

This was some serious lack of planning on their part.

They should have known that they couldn’t just go out as a group and not expect anything to happen.

Not like it mattered now he supposed.

He knew that it was a bad idea to agree to some off the clock group training away from the dojo. At least there they were mostly protected. The cobras were ruthless, but they weren’t stupid enough to try and start something when there were adults around that had years of experience on them.

‘Don’t worry, it’ll be fun!’ Sam had said as they had hopped out of her car once they reached their destination. ‘It’ll be a harmless game, here, you’re on team blue.’

It was suppose to be capture the flag, they’d even found a really cool abandoned factory to go to.

When Demetri had first seen it he couldn’t stop his mind from jumping to an episode of teenage mutant ninja turtles. They’d had an episode where they did this exact same thing. It had ended with them almost being eaten alive by rats.

Now he was almost wishing he was that lucky.

Demetri threw himself to the side and through a door less frame. From the other side he could hear his pursuer curse, having to back track as his speed left him zipping right by the very same place Demetri had ducked into.

He kept going, not sure where really but knowing that he needed a little bit of time to think.

When the cobras had shown up, because of course they had, seriously they must have had a tracking device or maybe some sixth sense or something along those lines to be able to find them so well when they were out and about, everything had gone to shit.

Demetri had snagged the flag for his team in secret, and had been making his way stealthy back to his side. Which meant that no one in Miyagi do had known where he was when the fight broke out, but of course when he’d turned around who was standing there but low and behold serial killer looking Hawk.

It had reminded him of the school fight all to clearly. Of thinking that he had managed to slip away only to turn around and nearly have his soul leave his body.

The feeling from that moment of being nothing more than prey had sunk its claws into him, and he’d turned tail and run without giving it a second thought.

Which left him here.

Desperately trying to find another member of his group, to see where everyone else had gone and if they were okay, while at the same time trying to out run the psycho with the haircut who he use to call his best friend.

“Why are you running Demetri?”

Oh gee, he wondered.

Going through yet another door, and groaning in disappointment when he didn’t see any familiar faces, he gave it a quick scan to see if there was anything he could use to his advantage.

The only thing that he noticed was that there were a few conveyor belts and some support beams.

Well, that wasn’t helpful at all.

Before he even had a moment to think about where else to go, he felt a foot slamming hard into his back, sending him flying to the floor.

The impact his hands had the second that they hit left him hissing. No doubt they were going to be scraped up pretty bad.

With no time to think about that however he rolled himself out of the way just as another kick landed right where he had been.

Trying to get to his feet while also dodging hits was a tough go, but thankfully one he had been preparing for.

It was Miguel who had suggested it really, but Demetri had been willing to go all in with the idea. The idea of training specifically to counter Hawk’s fighting style.

People would have to be blind to not notice the way that Hawk always hunted him down in every fight. It only made sense for Demetri to train to give himself the best advantage. He saw it as gearing his deck in a way that could easily counter anything his opponent would throw at him. This was no different.

This time when he rolled, he got to his feet quickly, using his arms to block another kick, stepping back and turning his body out of the way when Hawk changed it up and went for a punch instead. Leaving his whole side open.

Bringing up his knee Demetri slammed it into Hawk’s exposed ribs.

Hawk gasped, stumbling to the side and working to catch his breath.

Demetri didn’t run again, getting ready for the next onslaught as Hawk turned to him with a smirk settled over his face.

“Been training hm?”

“Why don’t you come find out?”

They kept going back and forth. Demetri staying mainly on defence, moving them around the room and getting the pillars and conveyor belt between them when he could, and Hawk relying heavily on his offence, throwing out combos that landed harder with each hit that didn’t properly meet its intended target.

The more it dragged out, the more his frustration clearly bled through, his attacks getting even sloppier, missing now more than hitting. One thing that Demetri wondered if Hawk was aware of but that he’d noticed from the first few times of watching him fight, was that as fast and brutal as Hawk’s fighting was, it also demanded a lot of energy.

Being on the constant attack meant that he was always moving, always switching from one move to the next and plowing his way forward. And as great as it was, it wasn’t something that any normal human could keep up for long.

When he threw a punch much wider than he normally ever would have, Demetri swooped into the opening, wrapping his arms around the other before twisting himself around and sending him flying over his hip and into the ground.

Hawk landed with a bitten off yelp of pain, managing to take some of the sting out of it by completing the landing with a roll to help with impact.

This time it was Demetri who landed a solid kick to his back, giving him no time to get back onto his feet.

A feral sort of hiss filled the air as Hawk rolled onto his back, kicking at Demetri to keep him from getting close enough to land another hit. Stepping off to the side he managed to avoid the attack, but in doing so allowed Hawk the time he needed to kip up back on his feet.

So that might not have worked, but he could see how quickly Hawk’s chest was rising and falling, could see the sweat soaking through his shirt.

He was reaching his limit.

Moving in for an attack of his own, Demetri really didn’t care if the hits landed or not. As Hawk stepped back and away, because he basically never blocked, always preferring to stay away from his opponents attacks rather than absorb them, Demetri lead him right where he wanted him.

When Hawk finally slammed into the conveyor belt, his hands automatically coming down to grip at it in shock, Demetri moved in.

Forgoing punches he slammed into Hawk hard, only than bring his knee up to shove into his side, using the conveyor to bend Hawk backwards. He knew it would throw the other off balance, it was just the right height that once he had Hawk shoved down on it, he wouldn’t be able to use his legs, he wasn’t tall enough for even his toes to scrap along the ground to find purchase. With the angle it also rendered his arms pretty useless, he couldn’t see Demetri from how far back his head was bent, and even if he could, they weren’t long enough to reach anything other than the arms that were holding him down and wouldn’t move.

All in all, it was like clipping the hawks wings.

“I think you lose.”

He allowed the smugness to seep into hi words as he pulled his fist back, getting ready to throw the hit that would put the cobra out long enough for him to get away.

“Dem wait!”

The air stilled in his lungs.

That panicked, screech, his head tilting just enough to the side that Demetri could see his wide, terror filled eyes.

He was looking at Eli.

Demetri stumbled, his hesitation throwing him off balance as he tried in vain to stop himself or redirect the hit from nailing his friend in the face.

And than the look in his eyes shifted. Panic gave way to a searing sort of smug that out matched his own tenfold, his lips twisting from a frightened whimper to a manic grin.

And he realized his mistake to late.

Hawk wrapped his legs around Demetri’s waist, using him as an anchor and pulling himself back up. The solid thud of Hawk’s fist slamming into his cheek echoed around the walls, the pain instant as his vision flashed black for a split second. His knees hit the ground first, the impact of them jarring his skull and making his teeth rattle before the rest of his body crumpled into the cold with it.

With a groan he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to focus on the cool flooring which help just the slightest bit in soothing his suddenly pounding head.

God, he felt like he’d been hit by a cement truck.

“Come on Demetri,” the voice floated above him, a wild feeling of panic surging like a lighting bolt through his whole body when a hand wrapped around the back of his shirt and dragged him up till he was on his knees. “At least make this a little bit of a challenge for me.”

A little bit of a challenge? He’d been beating Hawk for a moment there. He really had him backed into a corner.

And than, in good old Cobra Kai fashion, Hawk had cheated.

He’d used their past against him. Had dragged out that old nickname that hadn’t been uttered in almost an entire year. Had completely faked that well known expression.

Had used the fact that Demetri would never hurt his old Eli.

Had twisted the last few memories that Demetri had of his best friend.

Out of everything. Out of all of the juvenile tricks, all of the batshit crazy bullshit they pulled, after the vandalism and physical assault and everything else in between. That was it.

Demetri had had it.

He snapped.

Hawk wasn’t planning on him turning in his hold. Wasn’t planning on him being able to get back on his feet so quickly after taking such a hard blow to the head. And normally, he would have been right in assuming that Demetri would be down for a little while yet and he would be able to take advantage of it.

But Demetri was pissed. His pain, the way the world seemed to still be spinning just the slightest, the slight throbbing along his whole body, all of it was burned away by the absolutely overpowering rage that seemed to be eating him from the inside out.

He all but roared as he spun to face Hawk, wrapping his arms around his waist and pushing up with his feet. His sudden movement brought a startled yell from Hawk, his hands grabbing at Demetri’s shoulders, no doubt trying to find some type of hold so he could turn the tides in his favour, but he was given no chance before Demetri slammed him hard into the unforgiving flooring, dropping his full weight on top of him not even a second later.

Hawk’s cries went soundless, all of the air squeezed out of his lungs and leaving him dazed.

Just like Demetri wanted him.

Burying his fists into the stupid red and black themed jacket, god he **hated** that colour combination, he dragged Hawk up and threw him hard into one of the cement pillars. Not giving him any time to recover his breathing, he followed up with a forward knee strike to his diaphragm, a hit that landed so hard Hawk actually bounced off of the pillar for a moment before Demetri was right there, wrapping his hands around his throat and shoving him back into it.

He spread his elbows out making sure to press them hard into the others shoulders, pressing right up against Hawk and pinning him in place. He left him no room to attack, rendering Hawk’s arms and legs useless as he squeezed.

“You fucking brat.” He spat, his teeth clenched so firmly together his jaw ached.

Finally, Hawk seemed to understand his mistake, the unfiltered fear in his eyes real this time as he clawed at any part of Demetri he could reach.

All he would have to do is not let go and it would be done. The thought alone should have scared him, it should have been the snap to bring him to the reality of what he was doing. Instead it only pissed him off more.

Because why did it get to this point? Who was the one responsible for them being on such opposing sides that they actually wanted to cause each other real damage?

Was this really what Hawk wanted? An endless feud where it was just them going back and forth trying to one up each other until they eventually offed one another?

Just- why?

Why did it have to come to this? Why did it have to be this way?

With every unanswered question he found the found his rage growing, turning and twisting inside of him until it felt like a demon trying to claw its way out.

He just- he fucking **hated** Hawk. He wanted him gone. He wanted him to leave him alone. He wanted to tear him into pieces and build him back in the way that would bring back who he really was.

His Eli.

Not Cobra Kai’s fucking lap dog.

“You’re such a fucking idiot.”

Underneath his fingers he could feel Hawk’s pulse beating erratically, could feel his body shaking in his hold.

He loosened his grip, just enough.

Hawk gulped down lungfuls of air like the greedy little shit he was.

“W-wait,” the word was more of a croak, his voice wracked from the damage Demetri had done. He wasn’t going to lie. He felt a sick sort of pride in it. “Wait Dem- Demetri, stop.”

“Why?” The question came out a with a condescending edge, one sharp enough that it actually made Hawk wince to be on the receiving end of. “Isn’t this how you’re supposed to fight? No mercy?” As if to emphasize his point, he tightened his hold again, not as much this time, just enough to make breathing an effort, Hawk’s eyes blowing wide in panic as he clutched uselessly at Demetri’s sleeves.

“You’ve been the biggest throne in my side all year.” He hissed, pressing his forehead hard enough into Hawk’s skull he wondered if maybe they would cave. “Such a fucking pain in my ass,” He could feel himself grinning, taking a morbid sort of pleasure in the petrified hitch of Hawk’s breathing. “it’s actually kind of nice to knock you into your place for once.”

Pulling his head back he took a good look at the one trapped in his hold. Curiously enough, his words seemed to bury some of Hawk’s fear, the familiar rage starting a fire in those bright baby blues of his.

He’d have to fix that.

“Fuck you,” Hawk was wheezing the words out, but the anger heating them still warmed the air between them.

Maybe beating Hawk into submission wasn’t going to work. Demetri had tried that before, the only thing that had happened was that Hawk struck back twice as hard the following run in.

No. If he wanted to take Hawk out of the picture, finally make him the one to duck and hide whenever they saw each other and finally end the threat of at least one of these cobra assholes, he was going to have to change up his tactics.

“You know Hawk,” Demetri scoffed, “You’re a one trick pony.” He pointed out bluntly, “you strike fist and strike hard, but you falter when someone does something even remotely out of your expectations, and your defence is utter shit. In fact Kreese probably thinks your just as pathetic as I do.” The mention of his sensei seemed to hit hard.

Looks like he found a soft spot.

“Tell me something,” Demetri faked a look of general confusion on his face before he continued. “does Kreese actually respect you? Even in the slightest? I’m honestly curious.” A smirk pulled at his lips again before he spoke, twisting the knife just that much more. “Or do you think he sees you as more of Cobra Kai’s little show dog?”

He could see that Hawk was fuming, his breathing ragged for more reasons than not being able to breath properly.

“Or maybe your more like his little errand boy. You jump before he even tells you too. I guess you could say you’re kind of his bitch aren’t you?”

The sudden thrashing of Hawk’s body almost threw Demetri off balance. Honestly he had no idea just where Hawk got all of his energy from but he never seemed to run out of it. Thankfully though Demetri was able to readjust his hold, backing away a few inches before shoving his weight into the body he held trapped.

“Ah, ah, ah,” He tasked, making a small clicking sound as he shook his head, “you don’t get out of this by throwing a tantrum there buddy.”

“Let me go.”

“Why? You got somewhere you need to be?” Demetri questioned before a wicked thought came to mind. “You going to run back to Kreese with your tail between your legs? Admit to him that you lost?” He scoffed, “Oof, how do you think he’s going to take that?”

“I haven’t lost.” Hawk growled, trying to reach out for Demetri’s face.

With the position of Demetri’s limbs and the few extra inches he had on him, he fell far short of his target.

“Oh no?” Demetri asked, “you just like the position than?” He laughed at the red that highlighted Hawk’s cheeks. It almost matched his hair. Cute. “If you could get out this hold, you would have by now.” He pointed out. “Face it Hawk. You’re a loser.”

That one statement alone appeared to do more damage when coming from Demetri than any hit he’d thrown. He looked as if Demetri had just punched through his stomach and tore his organs out. His rage was snuffed.

“I mean really, just how many fight have you won oh mighty Hawk? How many without your thugs backing you up or someone stepping in to save your ass?” He traced his thumbs lightly up and down the bob of Hawk’s throat nonchalantly, digging his nail in and dragging it down, leaving a bright red trail in its wake before his attention turned away from his work and back up to the one at his mercy. “Tell me, just how much longer do you think Kreese is going to let you stick around. There’s no losers in his dojo right? And you can’t win on your own.”

Hawk’s mouth moved, but nothing managed to tumble out. Demetri even waited, curious to hear the answer. When he grew bored he decided to go with another question.

“Alright, maybe that one was to hard. What about this than? When Kreese does get enough members that he throws you to the curb, who are you going to turn to then? You left Miguel, Moon left you, and I’m done with you. The other Cobra members sure as hell will want nothing to do with you.” The bottom of Hawk’s lip trembled. Demetri decided to go for the killing blow. “You’re going to be alone, and that’s a grave you’ve dug for yourself.”

It was as if Hawk had been slapped. His jaw went slack, his eyes wide but unseeing. He looked stunned. Fat tears slid from his unblinking gaze and rolled thickly down his cheeks but he didn’t even seem to notice.

Demetri couldn’t help it.

He laughed.

Resting his forehead against Hawk’s once more he gently nuzzled their noses together, sliding his hands up from Hawk’s throat to cup his face.

“Always such a crybaby.” He huffed quietly pulling back to watch himself wipe away the persistently falling tears.

His gaze shifted from Hawk’s cheeks to his eyes. He gave himself all of two second to think about what he was going to do before he dipped his head down and firmly pressed their lips together.

He didn’t bother to keep it gentle, demanding what he wanted and easily taking it when Hawk gave up no fuss. He sunk his teeth into the plump lip until he tasted iron, forcing Hawk to partake in his discovery as he tilted his head to the side the slightest.

Hawk’s skin was flushed, salty from tears and damp from sweat. He felt so small in Demetri’s hands, like he could crush him at any moment.

He was almost tempted.

Pulling away he licked the blood from his own lips, using his thumb to smear the still bleeding wound across Hawk’s jaw.

For a moment, he just stood there, admiring his handy work.

Bruises from their fight were starting to appear across the others face, tear stains leaving damp patches on his cheeks his shirt soaking up whatever made it down, his skin pale with all the blood drained from it, dark bruises in the shape of his hands standing out almost proudly against his throat, blood smeared from the still bleeding bite mark.

Finally- finally he saw the Hawk he wanted to see.

Defeated. Broken. Perfect.

“Come on there Hawk.” Demetri grinned, taking a step back and holding his arms out to his side. “Take a swing at me.”

But Hawk didn’t move.

He stood there, his whole body shaking.

It was almost kind of pretty. The red and white. The black and blue.

Demetri’s gaze narrowed, his lips stretching wide.

“Yeah,” He sauntered in close again, invading Hawk’s space once more, “that’s what I thought.”

Hawk desperately tried to gain his space back, scrambling away and only coming to a stop when he realized he was still standing right before the pillar.

Demetri snickered, casually placing one hand by Hawk’s head. Leaning in, the nails of his other hand lightly clawed at the bottom of Hawk’s jaw, tilting his head up and forcing those wide blue eyes to lock with his. “Boo.”

He laughed, the sound cruel and hard as Hawk let out a shuttering cry. He allowed himself to be shoved back, unable to help but carry on laughing as he watched Hawk sprint as fast as he could away from him.

“I’ll see you later Hawk!”

He almost couldn’t wait.

That was one cobra neutralized.

For now, he wanted to see how the rest of his team made out.


End file.
